Disengageable clothing clip device



May 11-, 1965 w, FNR 3,182,368

DISENGAGEABLE CLOTHING CLIP DEVICE Filed Dec. 11, 1965 INVENTOR. WILLIAM J. FAIR wgxww ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,182,368 DISENGAGEABLE CLOTHlNG CLIP DEVICE William J. Fair, 12060 Medford Drive, Los Altos, Calif. Filed Dec. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 329,658 3 Claims. (Cl. 24-86) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 254,547, filed January 23, 1963, now abandoned.

This invention relates to clip devices for engaging articles of clothing or the like which may be readily removed without damage to clothing and more particularly to a removable clip device useful for preventing a belt from riding up over the waistband of a skirt. Also the clip device of this invention is generally useful to hold articles of clothing in a fixed relation with one another such as for example a tie to a shirt and also for engaging clothing or a belt for the aflixation of articles and which may readily be removed without tearing the cloth.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device of the clip type which is readily anchored in the clothing material to which withstands withdrawal in a selected direction.

Heretofore, clothing clip devices were constructed in such a manner that they engaged articles of clothing with lanced spurs to prevent withdrawal in a selected direction, usually the longimdinal axis of the clip device, but no means were provided for readily removing the clip device without damage to the garment. Frequent removal of such prior art clip devices therefore resulted in the weakening and often in the localized destruction of the garment.

It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a clip device which is quickly and easily engaged to the waistband of a skirt or to other portions of apparel against withdrawal in a first selected direction and which is so constructed that it may be disengaged by angularly displacing the device and then withdrawing in a second selected direction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a clip device which is anchored to the waistband and which engages an overlying belt to retain the belt in an overlying position.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a clip device of the class commonly known as a tie clasp which is readily secured to a shirt front to engage the overlying tie to hold the same securely in place and in which the clasp can only be withdrawn by subjecting the same to a motion which is not along the longitudinal axis of the clasp.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a disengageable clip device which may be attached to a belt, a waistband, a pocket or the like and which is provided with a hook or other means for carrying or securing articles to a person and which is disengageable only by subjecting the same to a motion not along the longitudinal axis of the clip.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art towhich the invention pertains as the ensuing description proceeds.

The features of novelty that are considered characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The organization and method of operation of the invention itself will best be understood with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of the clip device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an edge view of the clip device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the clip device shown in FIG. 1;

3,132,358 Patented May 11, 1965 "ice FIG. 4 is an edge view of the clip device provided with a carrying hook;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a clip device similar to FIG. 1 of the tie clasp type having a design on its front plate; and

FIG. 6 is an edge view of the device shown in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIGS.,

1 to 3 thereof, there is shown a clip device 10 constructed in accordance with this invention. Clip device 10 may be formed from a stamping of resilient material such as a suitable metal or may be molded of a plastic material or the like. After being formed, clip device 10 generally comprises a U-shaped member having a pair of substantially parallel leg portions defining a back plate 11 and a front plate 12 which are connected by a bent bridge portion 13. Front plate 12 and back plate 11 may be of equal length as shown in FIG. 2 or of unequal length as shown in FIG. 5.

Back plate 11 supports a pair of lanced spurs in the form of teeth which depend upwardly and outwardly from its inner surface. The shape, relative position, inclination and orientation of lanced spurs 14 and 15 is important in practicing the instant invention and will now be described. Since spurs 14 and 15 may be identical, only spur 14 will be described, it being understood however that this description is likewise applicable to spur 15.

Basically, spur 14 has the shape of a right angled triangle having sides 16, 17 and 18 which respectively define the base, height and hypotenuse of triangular spur 14. As shown, side 16 is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 25 of clip device 10 and presents the line of attachment to back plate 11. In the illustrated embodiment, spur 14 is punched out of back plate 11 but it of course is evident that a spur may be formed of a separate element which is aflixed to back plate 11 along its side 16.

Side 17 of spur 14 is arranged to be parallel to a plane bisecting device 11) which is usually also parallel to edge 19. Since spur 14 is triangular, side 18 therefore is angularly disposed with respect to the bisecting plane. Even though the orientation of side 16 is not important, it is an important feature in practicing the invention that side 17 be substantially parallel to the bisecting plane for good disengagement as will presently be described.

Likewise the length of side 16 is not critical and is selected to provide an acute angle between sides 17 and 18 which is sufiiciently pointed to assure good penetration into the cloth to retain clip device 19 against withdrawal in the direction of axis 25. It has been found for example that an acute angle of about 25 provides good penetratron. Further, in selecting the length of side 16 it should also be taken into account that the angle made by side 18 with the horizontal should not be too great since for disengagement the clip is turned until side 18 is parallel to the edge of the waistband.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention spur 14 defines a base portion 20 and a head portion 21, each of which has a different inclination with respect to the inner surface of back plate 11. It has been found in practicing the invention that good results are obtained by inclining base portion 20 outwardly with respect to back plate 11 at an angle of approximately 30 degree and inclining the head portion at an angle of about 5 degrees with respect to back plate 11 so that base portion 20 and head portion 21 are defining planes making an angle of about 25 degrees with one another. There is no requirement that base portion 20 and head portion 21 be planar and instead, the change from the 30 degree inclination at the base to the 5 degree inclination at the pointed head may be gradual. Further, the above stated amount of inclination can be varied within rather broad limits, the object being to bring the pointed end away lected as one-sixteenth.

In operation, one or more of clip devices such as i are gently urged over the waistband of a skirt and its overlying belt in such a manner that the inner surface of front face 12 .isin contact with the outer surface of the belt and the inner surface of back plate 11, with spurs 14 and 15, is in contact with the inner surface of the waistband. Since the belt has a tendency to ride up over the waistband of the skirt, a force is applied to bend 13 urging back plate 11 an upward direction causing spurs 14 and 15 to engage the material of the waistband and to selected direction. Further, the clip device has its spurs It has been found that side 17 is best placed hold clip securely in position thereby retaining the belt over the waistband.

In order to disengage clip device 10 from the waistband, the overlying belt may, but does not need to, be slipped downwardly and out of clip 10. Thereafter clip 10 is turned with a rotary motion to such a position that side 18 lies approximately parallel to the upper edge of the Waistband. In this position spurs l4 and 15 are immediately disengaged from the material by withdrawing -clip device 10 sideways, in a direction to the left as viewed in FIG. 3, a distance commensurate with the length of side 18. It is therefore seen that the amount of turning required depends on the angle between sides 17 and 18, the smaller the angle the greater amount of turning to bring side 18 parallel with the waistband edge.

A suitable belt retaining clip has been constructed ruin a blank of steel spring two and one-eighth inches long five-eighth inch wide. Two spurs were punched out having a length each of about one-quarter inch with a separation of one-eighth inch.

FIG. 4 shows a clip device, just like 10, with the added 'feature or" a carrying hook mounted upon front plate 12. The device of FIG. 4 is suitable forv attachment to a waist band or a belt for carrying articles such as keys or tools. The clip is secured from withdrawal in an up Ward direction preventing loss.

FIGS. 5 and 6 shows a clip device, just as 10, with the added feature of a monogrammed design mounted upon front plate 12' and is suitable as a tie clasp. Also back plate 11 is longer than front plate 12'.

It is also within the contemplation of this invention to utilize this clip device as a fastening means for breaches mounted near an edge portion of a dress or for fraternal pins fastened to coat lapels or the like.

There has been described a clip device which grips clothing and the like securely against withdrawal in a so shaped and disposed that a slight rotary motion followed by a short sliding motion readily'and easily permit its withdrawal from the garment'without any damage to the garment. i

What is claimed is:

l. A disengageable clip device comprising: a U-shaped member of resilient material having-a pair of substantially fiat, spaced legs and a connecting portion; and at least one lanced spur projecting upwardly from one leg towards said connecting portion and outwardly towards the other leg, said spur being of generally triangular shape and having a base portion generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said clip and spaced closer to one outer edge of said one leg than the other, and having one side parallel to and adjacent to said one outer edge, said spur project-ing from said one leg at an angle of approximately 30, the side of the spur opposite the closer edge making a substantially larger angle with the edge than the immediately adjacent side to thereby facilitate disengaging said clip device by rotating the same about an axis which is perpendicular to the flat side of said legs and which passes through the connecting portion and the edge of said U-shaped member closest to said offset plane.

2. A disengageable clip device as set forth in claim 1, in which said spur has a tip portion substantiallyparallel to said one leg. 7

3. A disengageable clip device comprising: a U-shaped member of resilient material having a pair of substantially flat, spaced leg and a connection portion; and a pair .of lanced spurs projecting upwardlyifrom one leg towards said connecting portion and outwardly towards the other leg,.each said spur. being of generally triangular shape and having a base portion generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said clip and spaced closer to one outer edge of said one leg than'the other, and having one side parallel to said one outer edge, said spurs projecting from said one leg atan angle of approximately 30, corresponding sides of each said spur being parallel t to facilitate disengaging said'clip device by rotating the same about an axis perpendicular to the fiat side'of said legs.

References ited hythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 413,461 10/89 Sanders 24--8l 902,407 10/08 Humphrey; 24-86 2,780,851 2/57 Grais 24-87 2,912,735 11/59 Johnson et al. 24--87 3,049,770 8/62 Moghadam 24-87 FOREIGN'PATENTS r 125,173 8/47 Australia.

DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

' BGBBY R. GAY, Examiner. 

1. A DISTENGAGEABLE CLIP DEVICE COMPRISING: A U-SHAPED MEMBER OF RESILIENT MATERIAL HAVING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT, SPACED LEGS AND CONNECTING PORTION; AND AT LEAST ONE LANCED SPUR AND A PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM ONE LEG TOWARDS SAID CONNECTING PORTION AND OUTWARDLY TOWARDS THE OTHER LEG, SAID SPUR BEING OF GENERALLY TRIANGULAR SHAPED AND HAVING A BASE PORTION GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CLIP AND SPACED CLOSER TO ONE OUTER EDGE OF SAID ONE LEG THAN THE OTHER, AND HAVING ONE SIDE PARALLEL TO AND ADJACENT TO SAID ONE OUTER EDGE, SAID SPUR PROJECTING FROM SAID ONE LEG AT AN ANGLE OF APPROXIMATELY 30*, THE SIDE OF THE SPUR OPPOSITE THE CLOSER EDGE MAKING A SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER ANGLE WITH THE EDGE THAN IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SIDE TO THEREBY FACILITATE DISENGAAGING SAID CLIP DEVICE BY ROTATING THE SAME ABOUT AN AXIS WHICH IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE FLAT SIDE OF SAID LEGS AND WHICH PASSES THROUGH THE CONNECTING PORTION AND THE EDGE OF SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER CLOSEST TO SAID OFFSET PLANE. 